A Most Unfortunate Circumstance
by PoorQueequeg
Summary: An account of the unanticipated events which resulted in the sudden consummation of previously uncountenanced emotions. OR how Spock and Nyota got it on. Pure unadulterated, gratuitous sap and fluff. Rated T for a few bad words but nothing filthsome
1. Spock is a gentleman

_A/N I haven't abandoned my WIP for those following, I just needed a lighthearted break from all the angst. This is just silly gooey nonsense. Please let me know if you enjoyed it! PQ xxx_

Of course Nyota liked Spock, he was a nice guy. Interesting, polite, occasionally witty, albeit in a very cerebral and understated way and in truth far less stern and unapproachable as he seemed on first meeting him. Of course she thought he was handsome because he _was _handsome _and _a Vulcan and Nyota, like nearly every other Human woman, couldn't deny those ears. However he wasn't the only handsome man in the universe nor was he the only Vulcan and Nyota didn't ever really take the time to consider him in anything other than a professional context. She was his student for a long time and then his teaching assistant and he was a pleasure to work with and of course if you had asked her, she would tell you he was a friend because...well...he was. Regardless, Nyota was not particularly interested in romance anyway, although naturally she'd had some experience in that area and if she'd not ever exactly had her heart rent asunder she'd had boyfriends and she'd cried about some of them. She'd kissed a few girls too and even pecked an Andorian on the lips at a party in her first year, but then again who hadn't kissed an Andorian? Really though, she wanted to focus on her studies and get that posting and that was pretty much _all _she wanted. Spock was equally focussed, if not more so and it was nice to finally meet someone who was as driven as she. And he was a gentleman. She never felt his eyes on her in that way, never endured any suggestive comments or veiled attempts at seduction and came to appreciate any friendly gestures from him for what they were. Genuine respect for her moral worth as living being. She, like many others of both sexes and varying species, admired him very much.

For his part, if Spock considered Nyota attractive he never really let it preoccupy him. Of course he thought she was attractive because she was and there was nothing illogical about taking in a beautiful woman through the eyes. It was natural, it was to be expected and he was a man after all not a machine even if people sometimes accused him of that. She was a very pleasant young woman, well educated, thoughtful and at times quite logical for a Human. Of course, as Vulcans went Spock had quite a lot of experience of dealing with illogical Human females and he knew how and when to indulge her. If anything he appreciated Human females and was actually quite fond of them, albeit in his muted Vulcan way. They would sit together in the quiet of his office working on their various projects, sharing a cup of tea and amicable conversation. Her companionship was agreeable, pleasant even. Spock would sometimes assist her in some area of her training unrelated to his assignment and he was happy to do so, as gratified that she was comfortable enough to ask as she was by his willingness to assist. Occasionally they would listen to a piece of music or have what Nyota referred to as 'high brow chit chat' over lunch or a picnic supper on his desk although Spock was not quite sure if it was a Terran idiom or a reference to his eyebrows. He never did ask. On one occasion a friend of Nyota's sent her a video file of some adolescent Terran felines and Spock watched over her shoulder, equally charmed by her laughter as by the sight of the animals themselves. They were like tiny sehlats although their teeth were much smaller and like many Terran mammals they were not telepathic though they were on consideration quite lovely. And Nyota was lovely, of course he thought so but that was all she was. A lovely person, a colleague, perhaps even...a friend.

So naturally as a friend and as a Vulcan, Spock had no qualms about informing Nyota of matters which he believed were of significance to her. For example, on one occasion she had a spider in her hair and so he told her even though it made her scream and jump out of her chair. Whether it be a crumb on her chin or an error in her work, he would tell her and she was always grateful for his honesty. So when, tucked away in a toilet cubicle while at an Academy function, Spock overheard Nyota's companion describing her in less than flattering terms and in such a manner as to make Spock doubt the honor of his intentions towards her, he was naturally morally obliged to inform her.

Nyota had met Christof through her room mate Gaila. Spock understood that Nyota had been doing Gaila a favor in agreeing to act as something referred to as a 'double date' and that she had not consented out of any deep seated desire to become better acquainted with the young man in question. She'd gone to dinner with Gaila and a male cadet named Rohan and this... _Christof_ and by all accounts had a perfectly agreeable evening. She was not, she informed Spock in casual conversation as they sat in his office listening to a particularly serene piece of music from 13th Century Bavaria, in any way looking for a romantic entanglement but she found Christof to be 'nice enough' and that the food was good. So, when Christof asked if she wanted to go as his 'date' to the aforementioned function 'just as friends', Nyota had accepted on the basis of 'because, well...why not? I was going anyway.'

"Will you be there?" she asked, blowing the steam off her tea and peering at him over her cup.

"I will," Spock informed her, pouring the pale liquid into his own drinking vessel. "Captain Pike informs me he will be in attendance and has requested my company."

"That'll be nice," she commented mildly.

"It has been some time since we last spoke," Spock added, setting down the teapot and meeting her kind smile.

It was with that same kind smile that she greeted him as he returned from the bathroom to where she was waiting in the function room. It was disagreeable to watch as it slipped from her face and Spock was familiar enough with Human emotions to recognize the flicker of hurt that crossed her features but it was soon most satisfactorily replaced with indignity. When Christof approached Nyota was scowling fiercely.

"Hey," he chirped in a friendly tone, picking up his drink from the buffet table where Spock and Nyota were waiting. Nyota cleared her throat and fixed him with an icy stare.

"Did you just call me... a 'piece of pussy'?" she asked and Spock was silently impressed by the coldness of her anger. It was almost...Vulcan. Christof's eyes flicked venomously towards Spock before he plastered a look of contrition over his face and tried in vain to placate her.

"Oh Nyota, really, it..." he blustered apologetically. "There was a context." Nyota nodded but the aspect of her mouth told Spock it was not in understanding.

"Really," she drawled, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly through her nose. Spock watched as she slowly, calmly raised her glass and emptied the contents over Christof's head. A creative method of responding to insult, Spock mused as Christof closed his eyes and wiped his hand across his face.

"Thanks," Christof sneered at him as Nyota stalked away. Spock was utterly indifferent and merely raised a brow before trailing quietly after Nyota to enquire after her wellbeing.

"I'm fine," she told him when he found her a minute later at the cloakroom. "It's just...ug, what a dick."

"Indeed," Spock replied. "You are leaving?"

"Yeah, it's kind of obligatory after you throw your drink in a man's face," she told him as she shrugged her coat over her shoulders. "And anyway, after that I'd rather be in my pyjamas eating gelato with a holo or good book." Spock nodded in understanding because he didn't like these social functions anyway and in all honesty so would he.

"If you are amenable, I will escort you to your quarters," he offered chivalrously. Nyota smiled.

They ambled across the campus with unhurried steps as they often did when Spock walked her home, a habit developed from working till all hours in his office or on occasion, his quarters. Spock was a gentleman, that was all and even if Nyota was as a rule not prone to excessive emotionality, she was still a Human female and one who had been affronted in what Spock considered to be the most vulgar terms. Their race was so confounding, how could the females be so utterly charming and the males so barbaric? No wonder his mother had married his father.

"Pffff," Nyota chuffed through her lips, crossing her arms over her chest and coming to a halt beside him. "Spock you want to go get some gelato?" Spock tilted his head to one side as he considered the nutritional benefits of gelato.

"Yes," he said after only the briefest pause. Nyota smiled.


	2. An ethical and morally guided person

There was nothing terribly romantic about it, of that they were both certain not that they discussed it at the time. They had eaten gelato together on occasion although this was the first time they had gone out to do so. Nyota actually ordered a milk shake instead of an ice cream although it was not constituted of bovine lactose because 'it doesn't really agree with me'. Spock also opted for non dairy because even though he consumed cheese from time to time, on a pizza for example, and sometimes whipped cream and occasionally butter – both of which had been included in Nyota's birthday cake, he on the whole avoided animal products on account of his being such an ethical and morally guided person. So like her, he opted for soy and ordered a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of hazelnut. Nyota did not comment on the inclusion of chocolate in his selection, after all he was an adult and the amount was only equivalent to a Human drinking a small glass of beer. Instead she remarked as she often had before on the good fortune of his having inherited Vulcan metabolism and hummed in pleasure as she sipped on her shake.

"Oh that is really nice," she said with a nod of her head. "Almond and cardamom. You want to try?" She plucked a clean straw from the dispenser on the table beside them. Spock accepted her offer and found her description to be accurate.

"That is really nice," he parroted and she smiled.

Spock escorted her home and bid her a polite good night on the steps of her building. Nyota thanked him with another smile and the most timid of squeezes to his forearm before she disappeared inside and that, should have been the end of it.

However, a few days later as Spock was making his way down the hall of the Linguistics building his ears picked up the sound of Nyota's voice speaking in a loud, irritated tone. He stopped outside the door to one of the labs and peered inside to see Nyota and the odious Christof engaged in a heated debate at the far end of the room.

"Yes, I get it and it's fine," Nyota was saying. "I forgive you but that's it." Christof seemed unimpressed.

"Please, just give me another chance," he implored but Nyota was not convinced.

"Look, I'm just not looking for anything like that right now and even if I was, after this I..." she said, shaking her head emphatically.

"You having a thing with that Vulcan, is that it?" Christof spat angrily. Nyota gasped and her mouth fell open while Spock himself was likewise confounded by the baseness of the accusation. The barbarian.

"Oh my god, you are...such a jerk," she uttered in disbelief, raising her bag and taking a step to one side. Christof didn't lay a hand on her but when he blocked her path Spock stepped abruptly forward into the room and Nyota's face showed her relief. Christof glared at Spock with narrowed eyes as Nyota stalked across the room and out of the door.

"Ug, he's so annoying," Nyota said as they made their way towards his office. Spock nodded and said nothing. "I must be like..._the worst _judge of character."

"Humans often present their more positive attributes upon initial contact," Spock told her sagely. "I am certain the flaw in this circumstance does not lie in your own judgement." Nyota sighed gently and smiled bashfully.

"Why can't more people be like you?" she quipped as they entered the office. Spock was once again impressed by her excellent judgement but before he could respond her communicator trilled."Oh, go away!" Nyota growled, staring at the display and Spock glanced down to see Christof's ID flashing across the screen.

"Has he been harassing you?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly in concern. Nyota shrugged and stuffed her comm into her bag.

"No, not really," she told him half heartedly. "He called me a few times and..." she trailed off and sat in her usual spot, digging into her bag and pulling out a PADD.

"And?" Spock urged passively. Nyota set the PADD down and pulled out the stylus from the slot along the top.

"And he came to my quarters last night," she said not looking at him. "But Gaila sent him away. Of course. Uh, the nerve!" Spock observed as her lip curled with a twinge of disgust and found he was likewise disturbed.

"If this behaviour persists you must inform security," he said sternly, stepping closer and looking her up and down with a severe look on his face. Nyota shrugged and met his eyes with a smile.

"No, it's okay, he's not being threatening just annoying," she assured him truthfully. "Anyway, tomorrow..." she said, changing the subject. "Are you going to feed me or shall I eat before I come? Because I have that second year that I tutor in the afternoon and sometimes we go off campus and get pot stickers."

Spock was nothing if not a stickler for tradition and tradition dictated that supervisors feed their teaching assistants while marking end of term assessments. His supervisor had done the same for him and he did the same for Nyota. It was not the first time nor would it be the last, he was certain.

"It was my intention to cook," Spock informed her. "I have acquired eggplant." Nyota grinned. She loved eggplant.


	3. A most unfortunate circumstance

The next day found Spock and Nyota in the mess hall sharing lunch with Professor Lamb, the head of the Linguistics faculty. They sat at at table in the corner while the hordes of cadets came and went, poring over a variety of PADDs and picking at their food as they discussed proposed alterations to the curriculum. Nyota was highly in favor of the introduction of basic Romulan while Spock considered the addition of postgraduate level Andorian phonology to be more logical. Professor Lamb could see the merits in both proposals. After half an hour of discussion, Nyota reached for her cup and on finding it empty excused herself to get a refill.

"Can I bring you anything?" she asked Spock and Lamb, who graciously accepted. Nyota took her tray and discarded the contents into the recycling before making her way towards the drinks dispensers. She rested the tray against her hip and idly drummed her fingernails against the surface as she waited in line. She was just setting the final cup into the dispenser and reaching for the button when a shadow fell across the unit.

"Nyota," a voice uttered breathlessly and her shoulders sagged.

"Oh Christof please," Nyota whined, screwing her face up and rolling her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you?" Christof stepped closer.

"I know, I know what you said but I just...I think you're amazing," he explained. Nyota met his eyes with a sceptical look.

"An amazing piece of ass?" she quipped sarcastically. Christof's brow furrowed.

"An amazing person," he corrected. "And I told you, I didn't say those things about you, I was defending you."

"Sure you were," Nyota drawled, removing the now full cup from the dispenser and setting it onto the tray beside the others.

"Look, Nyota really I wouldn't say something like that about you," Christof continued. "I'm sure that hobgoblin you're so fond of must have misheard." Nyota shook her head in disbelief.

"Don't call him that!" she snapped. "Do you have any idea how insulting that is?" Christof raised his hands in a gesture of contrition.

"Okay I'm sorry, I just...I can't help it," he complained. "I can't seem to get a moment of your time. You're always with him and...then he tells you things I'm supposed to have said or done out of context." Nyota took a deep sighing breath and took a step away from the dispenser, Christof close at her side.

"Vulcans don't lie," she uttered with irritation.

"Oh and I suppose they don't get jealous either?" he muttered. Nyota clenched her teeth and came to a stop, turning to him angrily.

"Spock is a gentleman, unlike some people," she growled.

Which was completely accurate and as such, when Spock's sensitive ears picked Nyota's voice as she let out a cry of consternation, he was naturally inclined to come to her assistance.

"Ponfo mirran!" she exclaimed, loudly as Christof, following close beside her bumped into her from the side in an effort to dodge around another cadet passing with a loaded tray. The cups on her tray went tumbling over, hot tea splashing up the front of her uniform.

"Oh geeze, I'm sorry!" he cried, grabbing the tray out of her hands and dumping it hastily on the table.

"For god's sake!" Nyota groused, tugging her sweater away from her skin. Christof immediately reached for a handful of napkins and set about dabbing at the spill. "Look it's fine, I got it," Nyota told him, batting his hands away but he was insistent.

"Let me get this," Christof argued, pressing a bundle of tissues against her stomach.

"No really Christof!" Nyota countered angrily.

"I believe the Lieutenant has requested that you desist," a voice drawled and Nyota turned to see Spock hovering beside them. Christof narrowed his eyes and have Spock a sideways look of disgust.

"Oh christ, not again," he muttered under his breath, ignoring Spock and reaching for the hem of Nyota's sweater.

"Christof!" Nyota rasped, shoving his hand back and Spock moved closer, insinuating himself between them and narrowing his eyes at Christof.

"I must insist that you cease your attentions, Cadet," Spock told him, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.

"Jesus, god, do you need to stand so close?" Christof gasped, raising his hands and taking a step back.

"I might ask the same of you," Spock countered moving forward a little way. Christof heaved an angry breath.

"Look you don't need to get in my face okay," he sneered. Spock glowered at him and moved closer. Christof huffed angrily, placed his palms on Spock's chest and shoved feebly as he tried to get past. Spock's brows furrowed in the fiercest expression Nyota had ever seen - she didn't realize he could even look so mean. She watched with wide eyed surprise and a hint of feminine awe as Spock let out a small snarling breath and shoved back.

Of course, when a Vulcan shoves a Human in Earth's gravity, the Human finds himself at something of a disadvantage. Nyota's jaw dropped as she watched Christof go skittering backwards to knock into a trolley of dirty trays that a first year cadet on mess duty just coincidentally happened to be wheeling by. Christof smacked into it with a loud, rattling thunk and a raft of trays tumbled off the trolley to crash loudly to the floor. A plastic cup clanged loudly against the tiles and rolled away with a scratching sound and when it came to a stop by Nyota's foot she realized the entire mess hall had gone silent.

"Jesus Christ you fucking psycho!" Christof screamed and Nyota gulped, aware of the myriad eyes on them.

"Ah, okay," she gasped hurriedly. "Spock I think we should leave." Spock was standing stone still, glaring at Christof with a look of pure hate and Nyota was shocked. She gripped his elbow and hustled back down the hall to where Professor Lamb stood watching with wide eyes.

"Ahem," Nyota said as they approached. "I think we ought perhaps to finish this meeting elsewhere," she suggested.

"I believe you are right, Lieutenant," Lamb concurred, hurriedly gathering their PADD into his arms and following them through the door.

Spock was silent as they crossed the quad, staring straight ahead with a look of horror painted onto his normally blank face. Nyota flushed hotly and tried to look at anything but him.

"I apologize for this incident, sir," Nyota uttered breathlessly.

"Well certainly noone holds you responsible, Lieutenant," Professor Lamb said reassuringly, rifling through the materials in his arms and reaching across Spock's torso to hand Nyota her PADD as they walked. "Nor you Commander," he added, glancing up at Spock although he didn't seem to be listening.

"Oh no," Nyota agreed, meeting Lamb's eyes. "Most certainly not."

"I realize violence is distasteful to Vulcans," the professor said to Spock. "But you mustn't blame yourself Commander. It was a most...unfortunate circumstance."

"Indeed," Spock croaked as they passed through the doors into the Linguistics building. Professor Lamb cleared his throat.

"Perhaps we ought to reschedule for another time," he suggested. "To allow the commander some time to compose himself." Nyota glanced up at Spock at nodded.

"Yes, yes I think that's a very good idea," she agreed, meeting the professor's eyes. He gave a brief nod and scurried away down the hall. Spock set off at once for his office and Nyota licked her lips anxiously as she followed.

"Are you okay?" she chirped timidly from the doorway as they entered.

"I am...disturbed," Spock confessed.

"I'm so sorry," she said, stepping closer.

"You do not need to apologize Nyota," Spock assured her gently. "You are not to blame."

"I know you dislike violence but it really wasn't your fault," she said, moving to stand beside him.

"The situation was...unforeseeable," he replied and Nyota nodded as she met his eyes.

"That jerk," she commented with an awkward smile.

"Quite," Spock agreed.

"Thanks by the way," she added bashfully.

"For what?" Spock enquired softly, looking at her with a confused expression. Nyota opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"Erm," she mumbled. "Well for...stepping in and telling him to...go away." Spock nodded slowly and dropped his eyes to the floor.

"I allowed myself to become angry," he murmured. "I am ashamed." Nyota's heart sank.

"Oh no, don't be sorry," she said sympathetically. "And...well besides, I...well maybe I should be ashamed too because..." Spock raised his head and looked at her curiously. "Well, actually I was quite impressed, flattered even." Spock tilted his head to one side and he seemed to her in that moment unbearably innocent. Smiling fondly at him, she gently clasped his forearm and then, spurred on by some primitive female response to his chivalry, she reached up on tip toes and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek. She quickly pulled back and looked away, suddenly too embarrassed to look up at the look of mortification on his face but when she chanced a glance through her lashes what she saw shocked her in the most wonderful way. Spock was...he...well, he melted.

There wasn't a chorus of angels singing and no rays of celestial light but when Nyota looked into his eyes something happened that was utterly unexpected. Spock's brow twitched and he opened his mouth to speak but no words came out and they just stood, staring at each other for a long moment until they were rudely interrupted by the jarring trill of her communicator. Nyota swallowed and looked away, hesitating for a moment before coming to her senses and digging into her pocket for her comm.

"Hello? Oh hey," she said into the speaker, taking a step away from him. "Hmm mm, okay, yeah." She peeked up and saw him watching her with a look of gentle longing on his face. "Sure well I don't think that will be a problem, there should be a free pod in the library," she said to the voice down the line. "Okay, okay I'll see you there." She ended the call and gently closed her communicator. "Um, that was my second year," she explained bashfully. Spock nodded.

"You have an appointment," he said and she nodded too.

"I ah...I need to but um..." she turned to fetch her coat and bag from the hooks on the back of the door. "I'll ah...see you later I guess." Spock nodded.

"I guess," he uttered somewhat dreamily.

"Nineteen hundred," Nyota added, shrugging her coat over her shoulders.

"Yes," Spock replied.

"Bye then," Nyota said, giving him one final smile and heading for the door. They shared one last lingering look and then she was gone.

_A/N Stay tuned for the conclusion coming soon! Cheesy romance ahoy!_


	4. Lieutenant Uhura is a capable officer

_A/N Sorry it took me so long. Stuff and junk and crap got in the way!_

Nyota's second year, a girl named Sadhika, was a gifted linguist who idolized Nyota and had a considerable fetish for all things Vulcan. During their sessions Sadhika would be effusive in her praise of Commander Spock and on more than one occasion expressed her desire to be his teaching assistant when Nyota's tenure was done.

"That's nice," Nyota had said at the time. "He's a great supervisor. I've learned a lot from him," she told Sadhika earnestly, suppressing a smirk as she imagined the look on Spock's face as Sadhika sat beside him in his office chewing his pointy ear off.

"I think he's so...inspiring," Sadhika would prattle breathlessly, although all credit to her, she would do so in passable Vulcan and so Nyota often let her continue. "He's so accomplished. I heard him play the Terran-touch-sensitive-keyboard-string-instrument (the Vulcan designation) at the faculty tea last term and it was..._so_ restrained, heartbreaking really. Vulcans are amazing." Nyota found herself unable to disagree.

It was not therefore entirely a surprise when upon meeting Sadhika in the foyer of the library that the young ensign should be so exuberant in expressing to Nyota her unwavering admiration for Commander Spock's heroism in the mess hall not half an hour previously.

"Oh god does everybody know about that?" Nyota asked, her shoulders sagging as she dropped her head back to stare at the ceiling above.

"Everybody's talking about it, Nyota," Sadhika told her with a wide eyed, sincere expression on her face. "Not that anyone blames you or the Commander, I mean _everybody _knows what Jim Kirk is like..."

"Wait, what?!" Nyota choked. Sadhika gave her an innocent look.

"I'm just saying everybody knows that Jim Kirk is the biggest womanizer on the planet so naturally everyone is on Spock's side," Sadhika replied innocently. Nyota shook her head incredulously.

"Jim Kirk?!" she exclaimed. Sadhika wasn't listening and was staring into space with a misty eyed look as she continued.

"They say Commander Spock just picked him up and tossed him across the room like he was a banana skin!" Sadhika practically swooned.

"I...I..." Nyota sputtered. "I can't..." Sadhika patted her on the arm.

"I know right?" she said sympathetically. "Imagine! Trying to pick a fight with a Vulcan!"

"But...Jim Kirk wasn't even there!" Nyota choked. Sadhika's face screwed up in confusion.

"But...that's what everybody's saying."

"No!" Nyota practically screeched. "I...it...wha...what _are_ people saying?" she rasped. Sadhika's brows went up and she shook her head gently as she explained.

"Well that you and Jim Kirk are having a thing and Commander Spock was jealous and..." Sadhika told her. Nyota stared at her in abject horror. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Oh my god," she wheezed, taking a step backwards and sinking down onto the stairs as she marvelled at the never-ending capacity of campus gossip mongers to mangle the truth beyond all recognition. Sadhika nodded and gave her a sympathetic look.

"Not that I can't imagine something like this from a Vulcan. All that restrained passion! S_o_ romantic," she crooned.

If Nyota was having a testing afternoon, it was not without difficulty for Spock. After she'd left him in his office he'd stood for a long time gazing wistfully at the spot where she'd just been before sinking down into his chair in an uncharacteristic daze. He'd performed a silent meditation to clear his mind of the tumult of emotions provoked by his altercation with the cadet in the mess hall and the memory of Nyota's lips against his cheek. A little while later and he was just logging into his computer console to get on with some work when he'd spied Nyota's scarf draped over the back of her chair across the room. He stood and approached cautiously, staring at it as though it were a venomous snake. The logical thing to do would be to place into his bag and return it to Nyota when he saw her later in his quarters. Later. In his quarters. When they were alone.

Spock gulped and tentatively reached out for the scarf, a delicate whiff of her perfume reaching his nostrils as he plucked it from the back of the chair. His mouth went dry as he turned the scarf over and over in his hands, imagining it wrapped around her neck as he bundled it into his bag. Her long, elegant neck.

Spock locked the door, darkened the window and pulled out a meditation candle.

After some intensive self examination, Spock was confident that he had regained control of his baser urges and extinguishing the candle, returned to his work. How foolish of him, he mused, to allow himself to be distracted by these events, to ascribe more significance to them than was logical. He was certain even Nyota's unusually physical display of affection could be explained rationally. She was a Human female of course, prone to occasional emotional outbursts and she had just been subjected to yet another affront at the hands of that barbarous oaf. It was to be expected that such a refined young lady might be disturbed by the cadet's effrontery in the mess hall, even a Vulcan woman would have been repulsed. Confident that he had sufficiently categorized and compartmentalized the days events, Spock rose from his desk and made his way along the hall to the small facility at the end of the hall intent on making a cup of tea.

As he entered he encountered Professor Lamb who was chasing a teabag around a cup with a spoon.

"Ah Commander," the professor greeted cordially as Spock approached and scanned the shelf for his mug.

"Good afternoon," Spock replied, his eyes flicking down to the familiar porcelain in the professor's hands. "That is Lieutenant Uhura's cup," Spock commented.

"Oh I'm sure she won't mind," the professor said with a dismissive wave of his hand..

"I'm sure," Spock replied smoothly, feeling slightly disconcerted by an odd flicker of dissatisfaction that sprung up within him. Most illogical.

"She's a lovely girl," Professor Lamb commented idly, his spoon clanging unconscionably loudly against the side of Nyota's cup. Spock eyed him with some suspicion.

"Indeed. Might I trouble you for the teabags?" he drawled, glancing at the box of tea on the counter that Nyota had brought back as a gift from her last visit to her home province and which Spock considered to be a highly pleasing infusion.

"Oh, sorry about that, I've used the last one," Professor Lamb told him and Spock looked at the empty carton for a moment, a single brow sliding unbidden up his forehead. "There's some of that other stuff though," the professor continued, fishing out a dusty old canister from the back of the cupboard. Spock's eyes narrowed imperceptibly but he took it without comment, his nostrils flaring slightly as he opened the lid and was greeted with a weak musty odor like old Terran paper. "Ah," the professor breathed with satisfaction as he slurped his tea. "That is a nice cup of tea."

"I am gratified," Spock uttered, spooning some of the limp tea into his cup and staring at the beige formica of the hot water dispenser as it gurgled impotently.

"Actually I'm glad I've bumped into you," the professor said, leaning back against the counter. "I've been going over the proposals from our meeting earlier."

"Yes," Spock uttered passively, removing his cup and staring down his nose at the insipid looking brew inside.

"Won't you step into my office for a moment Commander?" the professor implored in a friendly tone. "If you can spare the time of course."

"Of course," Spock replied blandly, giving his tea a tentative sniff and eyeing the dark red brew in the professor's cup with uncharacteristic envy. Perhaps his meditation was less effective than he had previously believed.

"You're rubbing off on her Commander," the professor continued as they ambled into his office. Spock froze.

"I beg your pardon, sir," he uttered sternly but the professor seemed utterly unfazed.

"Her proposal was...quite logical," Professor Lamb replied. "I must say I'm somewhat inclined to go with it. Although I have a few questions for her, I don't suppose she's around is she?" Spock took a calming breath before he replied.

"She is not," Spock informed him coolly.

"Oh that is a shame," the professor told him. "It would be good to have her input. It's a pity our discussion was cut short."

"Indeed," Spock commented, sinking down into a chair at Professor Lamb's hand gesture.

"These cadets, eh? All those hormones running wild," the professor uttered idly as he rummage through his desk drawer in search of a stylus. "Oh to be young again eh, Commander?" Spock was just about to take a sip of his tea when he hesitated and gave the professor an odd look. Was the professor implying that Spock was somehow past his prime? Such a description would be highly illogical and woefully inaccurate. Spock cleared his throat.

"I am not certain I understand Professor Lamb," Spock probed cautiously. The professor made a face that Spock found difficult to interpret and began to rifle through the assorted debris on his desk.

"Oh, well what I mean is...I suppose...well these young men, you know how it is," he said, finding a stylus under a PADD and hoisting it into the air victoriously. "Aha!" Spock looked at him askance.

"I hope you are not attempting to justify the actions of that cadet," Spock said primly. Professor Lamb glanced across his desk as switched on a PADD and scanned through the directory.

"Oh no, no of course not," he answered blithely.

"Lieutenant Uhura has explicitly rebuffed his advances on more than one occasion," Spock informed the professor unnecessarily.

"Oh? I thought they were an item," the professor quipped, not really paying attention. Spock repressed the urge to scowl.

"You are mistaken," Spock informed him confidently. The professor waggled his brows and pursed his lips.

"Odd, I'm sure I saw them together in the function room last week," Professor Lamb replied.

"Then you may also be aware that Lieutenant Uhura emptied the contents of her wineglass over the cadet's head," Spock told him with a hint of satisfaction. The professor cackled.

"Oh ho ho!" he gushed. "Oh I would have loved to have seen that!" Spock watched with concern as the professor's face went bright red. "She's a real firecracker that one! Lovely girl."

"As you have previously stated," Spock said, finding this entire conversation highly perplexing.

"Well, these young men can be persistent, especially when there's an attractive woman involved," he commented off-handedly. Spock's eyes narrowed.

"Lieutenant Uhura's physical attributes do not constitute an invitation to harassment," he continued and if the professor found him to be uncharacteristically impassioned he made no comment.

"Oh," the professor said, somewhat chastened. "Of course not, no."

"Lieutenant Uhura is a capable officer," Spock continued sternly.

"Yes, yes, a charming young lady," the professor agreed, although he was not really paying attention.

"It is an unfortunate tendency of Human males to lose all sense of decorum in these circumstances," Spock observed disapprovingly. Professor Lamb glanced at him and gave him a wry smile.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first case of a man losing his head over a beautiful woman," he quipped. Spock was disturbed by the professor's apparent preoccupation with Nyota's appearance.

"It is merely a matter of discipline," he answered haughtily, leaning back in his chair a little.

"Yes, I'm sure it is Commander," the professor answered, tapping his stylus repeatedly against the screen of his PADD. "Although of course, you must understand, we Humans do not live such abstemious lives as Vulcans." Spock was not certain if that was intended as a veiled insult and found it to be highly inaccurate besides.

"I am not certain I can agree Professor," Spock replied. "As you are aware, I am half Human." The professor seemed to find this somewhat amusing and began to chortle lightheartedly, setting down his PADD and reaching for his tea. "Is something amusing, Professor?" Spock queried, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Oh no, Commander," Professor Lamb assured him. "Nothing you need concern yourself with," he continued before promptly changing the subject.

Meanwhile, Nyota was making her way back to her room having finally escaped from Sadhika's endless prattling. She had tried her best to steer the topic of discussion towards more academic subjects, like articulation of labiodental Vulcan fricatives but Sadhika had been so distracting she'd had a hard time focussing, her mind drifting instead to one particular Vulcan's labiodental region. His plump cupid's bow shaped labiodental region. It was highly disturbing, equally as disturbing as repelling the frequent solicitations for her version of the days events that she received from hyperactive cadets on her way home from the library. However, when she finally reached her dorm, it did not prove to be quite the sanctuary she was hoping for.

"How could you?" Gaila accused in a wounded voice as Nyota came through the door.

"Oh Gaila please, I am _so _not in the mood for this," Nyota said, shrugging dejectedly but Gaila wasn't really listening.

"All this time!" she squealed. "You knew that I liked him and all this time you've been sneaking around with Jim Kirk!" Nyota let out a dejected sigh and sank onto the bed.

"Gaila, I swear there is nothing going on..." she protested feebly but Gaila was practically climbing the walls.

"I don't get it!" she squealed. "Why did you even let me set you up with Christof if you were having a thing with Jim?" Nyota rolled her eyes.

"Gaila! I am _not _having a thing with Jim Kirk!" she screeched, the uncharacteristically shrill tone of her voice shocking Gaila into silence. "And I only went out with that creep because _you _asked me to!"

"Geeze Nyota, what's wrong with you?" Gaila asked, pulling a face like a prissy teen.

"Look, I'm sorry okay," Nyota breathed, sinking down onto her bed and gripping the mattress hard beneath her fingers. "I've just had a pretty shitty afternoon. It's bad enough that that creep was hassling me and now everyone is saying that I'm stuck in some kind of kinky love triangle with Jim Kirk and Spock and..."

"Ooh, I didn't hear this part?" Gaila crooned, slinking over to sit beside Nyota, suddenly very interested.

"ARGH!" Nyota exclaimed, flopping back against the mattress and attempting to smother herself with her pillow. She would never be able to face Spock again.


End file.
